Who's your daddy?

As a mixed breed dog, I've always wondered from wence I came? Since I was born just a couple weeks before Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, I don't remember my birth momma... and I never got to meet my birth papa. But, I imagine I came from some regal breeds known for high intelligence, rugged good looks and an insouciant temperament. Luckily for Claire, since she's so darned cute, we know she has a large amount of Momma's genes flowing through her veins. Then again, if Claire's head begins to grow quicker than the rest of her body, then we'll know there's more Stew than originally thought (picture a really cute Charlie Brown). And we're all hoping Claire has Momma's teeth genes rather than Stew's... which are just a tad crooked. We'll find out soon enough 'cause Claire's teeth are starting to arrive. Here she is giving you a glimpse of the first two! We also know Claire was born in 2006 which, according to the Chinese New Year calendar, was the Year of the Dog. And now that she's long enough (29"), Claire can finally wear the special onesy that Aunt Susan & Uncle Kermit got her (I posted a picture of Claire wearing the onesy four months ago, but now it fits much better). Papa Stew was given his own Year of the Dog - You've Been Warned tee-shirt to match Claire's onesy, but Stew is currently requesting that no pictures of him be posted on the blog until further notice [this following a snarky comment Stew received this past weekend from Uncle Frannie regarding Stew's current weight].

So, to assist me in my efforts to figure out my heritage, Stew has contracted with MMI Genomics, Inc. to conduct its Canine Heritage Breed Test using DNA swabbed from my cheek. In about four weeks from now, we should receive the results in the mail. Stew got the idea after seeing a newstory on the Today show one morning back in May (http://video.msn.com/v/us/msnbc.htm?g=e1ce80dc-75f9-4456-ad3c-d63a56e4aa9c&f=00&fg=). We were originally going to have an online pool you could enter... by sending us a $5 entry fee with the winner getting a bulk of the proceeds (after we take out $70 to cover the cost of the DNA test). But, we figured we wouldn't get enough entries to cover the cost. Instead, I've decided to give an award to the person(s) who correctly chooses the PRIMARY BREED of my composition. Unfortunately, you're limited to 38 breeds from which to choose (www.mmigenomics.com/products2abreeds.html).

Momma thinks I'm a Saint Bernard, while Papa Stew believes I'm mostly German Shepherd (because American Fox Hound is not an available choice). What do you think? To assist you in your decision, I'm posting my baby picture and a more recent photo. I'm completely grown and weigh 61 lbs. And I'm told I shed A LOT. Post your guess if you dare... you might also find this link helpful: www.akc.org/breeds/breeds_a.cfm